Hello Again
by Cielo VII
Summary: Edd vows to take care of Eddy when he is badly injured in a motorcycle wreck. Though things may never be the same as they were before, Edd can't help but cherish his friend's life and do everything in his power to prove it. Even if Eddy's mind never goes back to its original state, something tells him their bond is guaranteed to survive - perhaps even strengthen.
1. The Unthinkable Occurs

Chapter 1

Eddy's brother had a motorcycle.

He didn't come home to visit very often, but Edd was seeing more of him now than he ever had. Apparently his folks wanted him to reestablish a relationship with his little brother after that awful incident last summer, though Edd would have preferred if they went the opposite route and forbade him from corrupting Eddy anymore.

Nevertheless, he was there, and Eddy seemed to have a selective memory about their relationship. Edd couldn't seem to persuade him that his brother was bad news and couldn't be trusted, despite the way they'd all been humiliated and abused just a few months prior.

So he stopped trying. Maybe Eddy would learn his lesson on his own; maybe he already had, and he'd give up trying to impress his older sibling.

It was worth a try, right?

It was worth any possible risks, right?

Honestly, even anxious Edd couldn't have predicted how serious a risk there could be. Maybe Eddy was right when he called him naïve. Still, could anyone have predicted that Eddy would try to drive it by himself? Sure, his brother had been teaching him how, but he hadn't taught him jack squat about safety. Motorcycles were dangerous. Edd refused to get on, no matter how many times the man offered, and even Eddy begged him, saying, "Come on, don't be such a wuss!"

"I'd rather keep my skull intact, thanks," Edd would say snarkily, then secretly bite into his lip as they rode off. Of course, they always came home in one piece. Eddy's parents made him wear a helmet, though his brother never did, and Eddy only wore it when they were home. A month or two with no incident and everyone thought they were invincible.

It was an unseasonably warm Saturday in late September when Eddy's life changed forever. The sun shone brightly through the clouds and everyone was outside enjoying the day except Edd, who refused to tear his eyes away from his studies. Eddy's brother had left his motorcycle in the driveway as he was wont to do, though the young man himself was off on some escapade. Edd remembered hearing it rev up about an hour ago, but had thought nothing of it. The thing came and went with Eddy's brother, and he was unpredictable.

Though a little bit of anxiety poked at his ribs from the inside, Edd knew everything was fine. He even ignored the distant sirens until he could no longer stand it and stared out the window. There was nothing to see; they were too far away. The motorcycle wasn't back yet. Edd shook his head. Everything was fine.

Still, he went outside the join the others who were gathered about, discussing what might have happened. Edd stayed close by Ed's side and tried to keep calm. A police car was now parked in front of Eddy's house. His stomach sank. What if something had happened to his brother? Sure, he wasn't Edd's favorite person – probably wasn't anyone's – but Eddy cared for him, right? Whatever had happened must have been pretty serious.

The sirens seemed to wail for hours. A policeman ushered the onlookers away, saying he was only asking Eddy's parents a few questions. Edd felt sick. Eddy wasn't here. Where was he? What if he was with his brother? What if…

He crawled through Ed's basement window and the two sat on the floor while Edd tried to calm his friend, shushing him and thumbing away his tears. Ed was clearly scared. He said he had a bad feeling. He was very intuitive.

Edd let his friend hold him. It wasn't often he braved Ed's stench, but he needed to be held right now. His stomach churned as his mind played through endless horrible possibilities. The police car outside of his house was a bad omen. He had the sickening feeling that he'd been there to give his parents terrible news. He felt selfish for thinking in such a way, but hoped beyond hope that if either of them had been hurt or… worse... it was Eddy's brother and not Eddy. He whispered, "Please, please, let him be okay," under his breath, and Ed nodded while he hugged him, soaking his shoulder in tears.

When things calmed down and the adults in the neighborhood had been informed of the truth so as not to speculate, Edd learned that he needn't have worried about Eddy's brother after all. He wasn't even there when the intoxicated driver plowed into Eddy as he drove the motorcycle through an intersection.

The next few days were terrifying. Ed slept over at Edd's house every night, even bringing some of his models over because he needed something familiar but refused to go back home. Neither of them wanted to be alone, even for a moment. Eddy was still alive, which was an unfathomable relief, but his condition was serious enough to keep everyone who knew him on a sharp edge. Edd felt too sick to go to school throughout the week, and Ed stayed home as well. He no longer cared about his schoolwork. He'd catch up on it later, it didn't matter at all.

Eddy's parents were in and out of the hospital checking up on him. Edd knew they must have been under stress he couldn't even imagine, but he wanted nothing more than to ask them for every detail. It drove him crazy not knowing anything.

Still, he kept his mouth shut and simply waited. His head hurt all the time and he had no appetite, but he had to stay strong for Ed's sake. He wasn't taking it very well and didn't seem to understand what was going on. All he knew was that Eddy was hurt, and badly.

Things finally slowed down as Friday came about. Eddy's parents came over to Ed's place to talk to his family for a while, and Edd and Ed took the opportunity to find out what was happening. Poor Eddy's mother looked like the life had been sucked out of her. Ed's mother hugged her as she explained that Eddy had stabilized, but was in a coma, and the doctors weren't optimistic. The atmosphere in the room was so heavy, Edd couldn't stand anymore and had to sit down. He hugged Ed and sobbed into his side, the fear and horror that had been building up for so long finally winning over.

He felt like a ghost for a while. Back at school, there were rumors and murmurs about Eddy, but otherwise life was just the same as always. Edd felt like he could break at any moment.

"So, was his brother the one driving?"

A group of kids behind Edd were whispering. He wished he could tune them out, but it was impossible. He froze whenever he heard people talking about it.

"No, Eddy was driving himself."

"Wow, what an idiot." The group snorted back laughter.

"I know, right? You can't get me on one of those things for a million bucks."

"So, when he wakes up, he's gonna be in some pretty big trouble." More laughter.

"Yeah, he's not exactly old enough to drive a motorcycle. Oh well, never was the brightest."

Edd had had enough. He jerked around and hissed, "Please, would you have a little respect!"

A look that almost resembled guilt flashed across their faces, but the conversation ended with "Shut up, dork."

The teacher had just returned. Edd tried to hide his face behind a book, but the tears were so numerous they fell onto the pages and the surface of his desk. He gave up, fell into his arms, and sobbed, right there in front of everyone. He just felt as though his heart had been torn out. He wanted to see Eddy.

In a few days, he'd have his wish.


	2. Please Wake Up

Subsequent chapters will contain much more stuff happening. The first two are mostly just a description of Edd moving through the first few days of the incident. Ciao! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 2

The days felt more like weeks since Eddy's injury, but eventually, things began to calm.

Edd sometimes felt himself smile or pay attention in class as if life was returning to normal. It felt wrong, though. He almost felt guilty for being safe and moving on while Eddy was in such terrible shape.

Nearly two weeks went by before Eddy was allowed visitors outside his immediate family. Ed's parents drove the two of them to the hospital, even though it would only be about a fifteen minute walk from home. Edd simply stared out the window, trying to ward off Ed's incessant questions. He still couldn't seem to grasp what was wrong with Eddy.

"Double D, what's an acoma?"

Edd turned slowly. He felt a pang of frustration, but of course Ed had the right to know. He just had to think of a way to explain it clearly and gently. "Well…" he said, furrowing his brow, "A _coma _is like a deep sleep, Ed. Only…" A weight seemed to drop in his heart, and he had to pause. "It's not for sure when he's going to wake up again. In fact… it's not for sure if he will at all." With this clause, he turned to look out the window again. His voice had stopped working.

Ed looked worried. "Can't they just wake him up?"

Edd sighed. "Everyone's done their best, Ed. We just have to wait and see now." Realizing how heavy the atmosphere had become, he looked Ed in the eye and gave a tight smile, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Don't you worry, though. I'm sure he'll wake up in no time."

Ed smiled back, just as half-heartedly, and nodded. The rest of the ride was spent in silence.

Having gotten over the initial shock of what happened, Edd was left to think about the possibilities. This only led him to imagine the worst, and he had to shake his head to make it go away. He didn't want to think about it. He didn't want Eddy's parents to have to make that terrible choice, to have to disconnect him and let him die. Edd's stomach clenched and he felt sick. He didn't want Eddy to die. He'd never been so scared in his life. He didn't want Eddy to be gone, for his life to be over so soon, to have to watch them put him in the ground, treat him like some statistic when he was really a more special person than all those bastards could know…

He grunted and slapped himself to stop the thoughts, startling Ed. He didn't need an explanation, though. Edd had been having sudden bursts of emotion a lot lately, usually only lasting a second or two. It was always because his brain refused to listen to him and took him to horrible, unimaginable, and irrational places. Now, even before he was able to see Eddy, he was crying. He thought he'd be able to come through for both of his friends, but apparently that was no longer a possibility.

Edd took deep breaths and rubbed at his eyes as they parked, trying to regain his composure once again. Ed held his hand as they walked, and Edd was thankful because he just might have floated away if he didn't. His heart felt heavy, but his head felt light.

"We're here to see Eddy," Ed's father told a nurse when they got to his floor. After checking them in, she led them to a waiting room and told them only up to two could visit at a time.

"Do you mind if Ed and I go in?" Edd asked. The man shook his head, saying, "Not at all. In fact, why don't you two go stay with Eddy and I'll just wait out here."

Edd nodded. He knew Ed's dad wouldn't have any business with Eddy, but he wanted to make sure.

"Come on, Ed," he said gently, pressing a hand against Ed's back and guiding him down the hall where the nurse was walking.

She stopped at a door and peered in, then turned to the two boys. "All right, now it's _very_ important that you refrain from moving him at all. Don't touch him and absolutely do not touch any of the machines. Okay?" Edd didn't appreciate being talked to like a child, but he nodded anyway. The nurse gave a small smile and opened the door, but held them back once again to add, "Me and some of the other nurses and doctors might stop by now and then, but don't worry. It's just procedure."

Edd nodded once again, having trouble paying attention when he was so close to seeing Eddy. The nurse beckoned them inside, told them to stay nice and quiet, and shut the door.

The room was moderately bright and held a single bed with a curtain beside it. Edd and Ed made their way towards the sleeping figure that was, apparently, Eddy, and pulled up a couple of chairs. For several minutes they simply sat in silence, one on either side of the bed.

The nurse had said not to touch him, but Edd figured it would be all right if he was careful. He gently placed his fingers on the back of Eddy's hand that rested across his stomach, then glanced at his face as if expecting a reaction. Eddy, of course, didn't stir. Edd focused once more on his hand, wanting to be as careful as possible, and wrapped his fingers slowly around it, leaving his thumb to stroke it softly, back and forth, in a silent rhythm. It was warm.

"Hi, Eddy," he whispered, and a chill crawled across his every limb. Ed was looking at the heart monitor, obviously curious about how it worked, and following tubes from their machines to Eddy. A thick plastic tube was pushed between his lips, helping him breathe. With his free hand, Edd reached up and stroked Eddy's cheek for a second, just by the corner of his mouth. His face felt warm too, and it was flushed. Edd glanced around looking for anything that might be monitoring Eddy's temperature. Already he was thinking like his medically-obsessed self, wondering which machine did which, how they were keeping his friend alive.

"Double D?" Ed broke the silence, still staring at the heart monitor. "What do these lines mean?"

Edd blinked. The beeping sound was becoming more obvious now. Somehow all sound had disappeared for a few moments before. "It's a heart monitor," Edd said, then cleared his throat when he realized his voice was too hoarse to decipher. "It's measuring his heartbeats. Each of those beeps represent a beat, and each of those little peaks represents a different part of the cardiac contraction and relaxation process. You see, the first one is called the P-wave, and it represents contraction of the atria. The next is known as the QRS complex…" He stopped when he realized Ed was scratching his head in confusion. Edd half-smiled. "Well, it shows his heartbeats." He looked down at Eddy and smiled fully, somehow able to forget for a moment how uncertain and scary the situation was.

"So his heart's still beating?"

Edd bit his cheek to stop himself from panicking at the sentence. "Of course it is. And it's not going to stop, so don't worry." He smiled at Eddy again, squeezing his hand. He didn't just say it for Ed, he said it for himself, and for Eddy too. It occurred to him that Eddy might really be able to hear them, and although it wasn't guaranteed, he still thought he should try just in case.

He thought for a moment, then gently touched Eddy's chest, moving his hand down until he could feel his heart beating. His belly rose and fell with each breath, lifting and sinking as Edd's hand held his against it. "It's gonna be okay, Eddy," he whispered. "I promise. I'm here. Everything's going to be fine. You just try to come back soon, okay?" His throat began to feel tight.

Ed joined in, saying, "Yeah, wake up soon. We really miss you."

Edd nodded, trying in vain to hold back tears. "W-we really do."

Giving in, Edd gently fell forward until his forehead was touching Eddy's temple. He let go of his hand and placed his own on his shoulder, squeezing, sobbing into the pillow. His stomach churned. It made him happy to see Eddy again until it finally sunk in. He was in a coma. He could die. Edd whimpered, swimming in a physical and emotional pain he had never known before. He rested his chest against his fist, feeling his heart thumping rapidly. His headache came back with full force. "Please, please," he whispered, though he wasn't sure who he was talking to or what to say next. He just wanted Eddy back.

Ed cried as well, holding Eddy's hand where Edd had left it. He was scared and confused. Eddy was hurt and it was worse than ever – that much he knew for sure. He didn't know who to turn to now that Edd was breaking down.

Edd took in a shaky breath and sobbed, trying to calm back down. As he cried out the hopelessness and sorrow he'd been holding onto, he felt a light of determination. Eddy didn't need him to sit here crying forever. He didn't need Edd to break down and turn into a useless zombie over this. He was hurt, he might be able to hear them, and if so he'd be scared. Edd bit back guilt and sat up, wiping his eyes and sniffing. With another shaky sigh, he ran his damp knuckles across Eddy's cheek, then pushed a strand of hair behind his ear, careful not to interfere with the bandages wrapped around his head.

Swallowing, he said, "It's okay, Eddy, I'm sorry. I just… you know how I get. I mean, you're my friend, and I hate to see you hurt. That's all." He smiled reassuringly as though Eddy could see him through his sealed eyelids. "Just please, please try to wake up. I know you're scared and I know it hurts, but you need to come back. I promise you'll be just fine, okay? I promise, Eddy." He squeezed his shoulder, irrationally hoping that these words would make Eddy reconsider being in a coma. He knew he had no control over it, but maybe, just maybe, it would help him to know that he really did care.

Ed spoke up again, his voice thick with tears. "But, um… if you can't wake up, don't feel bad. It's not your fault, so we understand. It's okay if you have to go up to heaven."

Edd swallowed an onslaught of tears. He felt a bit guilty for pressuring Eddy to stay alive when it could be the case that he wanted to let go. Though the thought alone was enough to tear his guts in half, Edd nodded and stroked Eddy's cheek with the tips of his fingers. He smiled shakily at Ed, then gazed at their sleeping friend as he said, "That's right. It's okay. I don't want you to worry or feel bad. You'll… you'll always be our best friend…" The tears came back. Edd sighed in frustration and rolled his head back, staring up at the ceiling. Without thinking, he stood up and walked to Ed's side of the bed, wrapping his arms around him and sobbing into his jacket. Ed stood up and hugged him back. He was the strong one now. Edd could use a break.

"Everything'll be okay," Ed said, "Remember?"

Edd nodded after a short pause. He had to believe it would be all right. The thought of getting Eddy back was all he had to hold onto right now.

The visit felt much too short. In a few minutes, the doctor told them it was time to leave because Eddy needed treatment. Edd looked at him one more time, told him they'd be back tomorrow, and patted his hand. Ed was reluctant to leave as well, but he followed Edd out the door and they rode home in silence.

That night, Edd couldn't sleep no matter how hard he tried. He kept thinking about Eddy lying there with a brace on his neck and a tube down his throat and bandages and casts keeping him from falling apart. Hugging his pillow, Edd whimpered. He had run out of tears. "Please, God," he whispered. "Please, please, please let him be okay."

The next weekend, Edd woke up early to head to the hospital. Ed wouldn't be coming with him this time, as he was ordered to stay home and look after Sarah. Edd felt a little bad for leaving his friend behind when he may have really needed him, but the urge to see Eddy again won out.

Before going to the hospital, Edd snuck into Eddy's room with the spare key hidden behind a loose brick. He peeked in to make sure no one was there, then stepped quietly inside. At first it had seemed like a good idea, but his heart raced at every little noise. If someone caught him, how could he explain why he was here?

Edd tried not to think about it. Instead, he got to work filling his shoulder bag with various things he thought Eddy might want. Magazines, the lava lamp, various items with no purpose but to make the hospital room feel a little more familiar. Edd didn't like the impersonal nature of the medical world and thought Eddy deserved better.

As he was walking out the door, Edd had a thought. He turned around and scanned the room, but didn't see any photos. He placed the bag on the floor and started looking through drawers timidly. He didn't care how invasive he was being anymore; Eddy would want to have a picture of them in his room. If he didn't want one, he'd get one anyway.

Edd found a stack of old Polaroids in a small drawer, as well as a small book. Frowning, he pulled it out and opened it to a random page.

"Good lord!" he gasped, quickly returning it to its hiding place. Edd bit his lip. Although he hadn't gotten any specifics, he felt a bit guilty for even _looking_ at Eddy's diary. He had no idea he kept one. Though his curiosity was substantial, he left it behind, out of respect for the thoughts Eddy obviously wanted to keep private.

Edd already felt accustomed to coming to the hospital, like it was Eddy's new home. His bag had to be checked before he could bring it in, but apparently nothing was contraband. He opened the door slowly and walked to the chair he'd been sitting in the day before, which had been moved to the corner. As he dragged it to the bedside, he kept his eyes unblinkingly on Eddy's form. He was just as still as always.

Sitting down slowly, Edd smiled and brushed a hand against Eddy's forehead. "Hey," he whispered. "Good morning."

No reply, of course.

"I brought you some of your things," Edd offered. "You got a new magazine in the mail. I'll read you some today, okay?"

No reply, of course.

Still, Edd smiled and thumbed Eddy's hand, watching him sleep. When he started to move, Edd felt a wave of excitement, but it turned out to be a yawn. He'd been yawning a lot lately.

"Aww," Edd whispered, brushing the water from Eddy's eyes. "Sleepyhead."

As usual, he spent the first several minutes in relative silence. He watched Eddy for any sign of movement. It always drove him crazy but he just couldn't give up. Sometimes he'd simply say what was on his mind, but he tried to keep the conversation positive. He didn't want Eddy to be scared or upset if he could hear him. "Come on, rise and shine," he said quietly, running the back of his finger against Eddy's cheek. "Wake up, now."

He knew it had no effect. He just thought he'd try. He needed to hear it.

It had been over two weeks now since Eddy was injured. It felt like a lifetime, but it also felt like yesterday. Edd may have gotten used to seeing him this way, but he hadn't even begun to accept the fact that he might not make it. It frustrated him to no end watching Eddy slowly heal, but at the same time waste away. If there was anything in the world he could do to bring him back, he would. The worst part was that he knew there wasn't.

"Okay," he whispered, so quietly he could hardly hear it himself. "Want me to read to you some?"

No reply, of course.

Edd didn't feel much like reading one of those suave and money-hugging magazines right now, so he pulled out a book and started reading from where he'd left off. It was interesting enough, some new popular series, so he assumed Eddy wouldn't mind.

As he read aloud, he absently held Eddy's fingers in his hand and stroked them. He had never let Edd touch him this much, but Edd knew sensation would be good for him. Sometimes he simply sat and held Eddy's hand up to his chest, running a hand up and down his arm softly, letting him feel his heartbeat. Sometimes he even rubbed Eddy's feet, trying to keep his circulation going all right though he knew Eddy hated to have his feet touched.

The day dragged on. Edd took a few breaks to get food or water, to let the nurses do whatever they did in there when they made him leave, or to simply sit outside. He didn't want to go home, but staying in that room all day with Eddy drove him crazy sometimes. He wanted him to wake up so badly, it hurt to see him lying there so far away.

Edd was sitting outside on a short rock wall behind the hospital. There was a small garden where a few elderly patients were being led around by nurses. Edd watched with little interest for a while, breathing in the cold air. The sky was a crisp blue today, not like the light summer-esque atmosphere the day Eddy was hurt. Edd almost dreaded next summer. He bit into his lip and tried to stop himself from thinking about what next summer could be like if…

Shaking his head, he looked up at the sky and closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and trying to calm down before going back inside. As he opened them again, he saw a few birds flutter out of the bare tree nearby. Suddenly he felt a little strange, a little better. It wasn't because of the birds, it wasn't even the autumn air. Edd frowned in confusion and looked over his shoulder at the hospital. Something told him he should go back inside.

Heading back inside, Edd's legs felt heavy. So much worrying and pain had left Edd constantly exhausted. Eddy had just been bathed by one of the nurses, so his hair was still a little damp. Edd rested his head on his arms and leaned on the bed, careful not to disturb any of the tubes and wires as he settled with his forehead close to the top of Eddy's head. He played absentmindedly with the paper-thin sleeve on Eddy's shoulder, stroking it with his fingertips and eventually resting his palm against it in his tiredness.

It was in that state between consciousness and sleep that he felt something move on the bed. At first he ignored it, tried to get to sleep, forgot where he was. Only when he heard the tiny, cracked whimper did his eyes shoot open and he froze. Eddy's arm was, unmistakably, moving beneath his hand.

Sitting up, he stared wide-eyed at Eddy's face. The realization hit him like a speeding train.

Eddy's brow was furrowed in discomfort. After struggling for a few moments, he opened his eyes.


	3. Am I Eddy?

Chapter 3

Edd watched in awe as Eddy finally emerged from his coma.

He took a few moments to blink the fog from his eyes, then slowly focused on Edd's face. Time froze for several moments. Edd covered his mouth with his hand, staring wide-eyed and hoping this wasn't just some cruel dream.

"Eddy…" he whispered, a real smile brightening his face for the first time in weeks. "You're back… oh, thank God, you're back…" Weakly, he clutched Eddy's hand and pushed his face against Eddy's cheek, sobbing lightly with pure joy. The past couple of painful and exhausting weeks began to fade into insignificance. "It's okay," he whispered, squeezing his hand against his chest. "Everything's okay, I promise. I promise."

He pressed the call button and waited. Eddy appeared to be in pain, and Edd didn't want to leave him just yet. When the doctor arrived, however, he had to shoo Edd out of the room so he could perform an examination and some procedures. Edd called Ed to tell him the news while Eddy's parents were being informed. Tension rose from his shoulders by the second, and he actually ran all the way home to walk with Ed back to the hospital.

Edd and Ed sat in the waiting room for hours before they were allowed a brief visit with Eddy. His parents had stayed with him most of the day, and the doctor had been highly focused on him as well. Before the two boys could see their friend, he took them aside for a talk.

Though Ed was still excited, Edd began to feel apprehensive when he saw the look on the doctor's face. He sat them down in the waiting area and opened the folder on his lap.

"All right, then. The family gave me permission to disclose information to you two, so don't worry; we're not keeping back anything important." He gave a small smile, which reassured Edd well along with the words. He was glad there would be no secrets and he wouldn't have to wonder anymore.

The doctor continued: "As you know, Eddy has been in a coma for the past three and a half weeks. The coma was a result of a concussion he sustained in the wreck. We've been trying to monitor his brain activity, but there wasn't much to see while he was still comatose. Anyway, we've been observing him closely today, and we've come to the conclusion that he does have some serious brain trauma."

Edd's heart skipped a beat.

"He's nonverbal at the moment, but we'll wait and see if that changes once the soreness in his throat goes down. The breathing tube is out and his organs are working normally, but he's still having a lot of trouble controlling his own movements and functions. We'll keep monitoring him for a few more days and see if there's anything more to tell, but right now it looks like he's got a long, long recovery ahead of him. Understand?"

Ed looked at Edd for an answer. He swallowed, then nodded. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Is – is it permanent?"

The doctor sighed deeply. "Well, it's hard to say at this point, but I wouldn't count on him returning completely to normal. We'll just have to do our best to restore his former abilities. For now, we're also waiting for his amnesia to subside."

Edd bit the inside of his lip. Now that Eddy was no longer in danger of dying, he could worry about other things. Like the fact that when they walked into the room, he wouldn't know who they were. Still, the weight inside him was gone and that was definitely a good start.

"His other injuries are healing, but his back and his left knee are still quite serious, possibly chronically injured. That's about it, unless you have any more questions."

Edd thought for a second. He gave Ed a chance to speak, but, surprisingly, he had nothing to ask. Edd spoke up in a small voice, "When can he come home?"

"Probably before next weekend. We're working it out with his parents right now because he might need an at-home nurse while they're at work."

Edd nodded. At least he'd be coming home soon. He probably didn't like this place much.

The doctor led them to the room and softly shut the door behind them, after warning them that Eddy might be sleeping but that it was nothing to worry about. Edd felt a little disappointed when he saw that Eddy was, in fact, asleep. He held fast to the memory of him waking up, just trying to convince himself it'd been real.

Ed sat down in a chair and began to poke at Eddy's shoulder. "Hey, Eddy, wake up."

"No, no, no," Edd chided softly. "We have to let him rest for a bit."

"I thought he wasn't in a coma anymore," Ed said, tears brimming his eyes.

Edd smiled and squeezed himself into the chair next to Ed, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "He's not, he's just sleeping now. Don't you worry, that part's all over. Maybe he'll wake up for us tomorrow, hmm?" He squeezed Ed's arm, and his friend just continued to look down at Eddy's face. Edd followed his eyes and watched him sleep for a few moments; he still looked small and far away, but Edd could tell it was different. He looked just like he did when he slept any other time, only with a slight expression of discomfort.

Ed rubbed his wrist a little, then said, "I'm glad you're not in a coma anymore."

"Me too," Edd whispered, patting Eddy's bare arm. The removal of the tube made a big difference. He was beginning to look like himself again.

The next day, Eddy was only able to stay conscious for about half a minute. However, Ed and Edd packed as much conversation as they could into those few seconds and made sure he knew how much they'd missed him over the past few weeks. His fingers moved absently against Edd's hand as he held them, squeezing once or twice with all the strength of a newborn fawn. They quieted down once Eddy had gone back to sleep and went back to watching him.

The next day, he had surgery on his back, seemingly out of nowhere. Edd and Ed stopped by afterwards to talk to him a bit and give him gifts. Eddy was groggy from the anesthesia, but he managed to stay awake for nearly an hour this time.

Finally, the doctor set a date for him to come back home. He'd be discharged on Saturday morning, so long as he was still showing the same improvement as he had been so far. Edd came by to talk to him about the good news, to ask him if he was excited about going home. He expected Eddy to simply lie there and blink slowly like usual, but this time, he answered.

"I bet you're looking forward to getting out of here, huh?" Edd asked, smiling. "Do you remember where you live?"

Eddy shook his head weakly. Edd was surprised to see him acknowledge a question, and decided to continue. "Do you… remember anything?"

Eddy seemed to think for a minute. He shrugged and shook his head. Edd gave a small smile and said, "It's okay. We'll help you get it back." After pausing for a moment, wondering if the next question was appropriate or not, he went for it. "Do you remember me? At all?"

He waited, but Eddy didn't answer. "I know you probably know who I am – but don't you remember seeing me and Ed lately?"

Eddy thought for a moment. "You – when… woke up."

Edd grinned and nodded. He'd almost forgotten what Eddy's voice sounded like. "That's right, I was there when you woke up."

Eddy nodded weakly. "Back hurts," he said. His voice could hardly go above a whisper.

"I know, I know," Edd replied softly, tucking a lock of hair behind Eddy's ear. "It's okay. Relax."

"Y- are you my brother?" Eddy asked.

Edd smiled. "No, I'm not. Aaron is your brother, okay? I'm your friend, though. We've been best friends since we were just little kids. I just want you to know that you can trust me, and I'm gonna help get you through this. All right?"

Eddy simply stared. He only seemed to understand every other word. Edd leaned down and kissed his cheek without really thinking. Normally Eddy would shove him away if he tried to get so affectionate, even in a situation like this, but now he simply closed his eyes and calmed down at the soothing touch. Edd kissed him again when he noticed how it calmed him. "Why don't you take a little nap," he whispered. "Get some of your strength back."

It didn't take long for Eddy to fall asleep. As he drifted away, he kept mumbling something about wanting to go home, about how his back hurt. Edd continued to sit by his side, wondering whether he should feel pity for his friend or just be thankful he was still alive.

Edd woke up to a finger poking his shoulder. He cleared his throat and sat up, stretching. Somehow he must have fallen asleep in the chair by Eddy's bed.

Expecting to see the doctor or a nurse asking him to leave, Edd was surprised to see that it was Eddy who'd woken him up.

"What's your name?" Eddy slurred.

Edd leaned over to get closer, intertwining his fingers with Eddy's. "I'm Double D. Can you remember that? Double D."

Eddy mouthed the word, and Edd nodded, nuzzling his nose against his cheek. "That's right."

"And I'm Eddy?" Eddy said.

Edd pulled his face away and ran his palm over Eddy's hand. "Yes, you are. Do you know our other friend's name?"

He shook his head. "Ed," Edd told him. "Should be easy to remember, since your names are so similar. Right?"

Eddy thought for a moment. "When do I go home?"

"Soon, very soon."

"When I come home… stay with you?"

Edd smiled gently. "No, you gotta stay with your mom and dad. I'll tell you what, though; I'll come stay with you as much as they'll let me. Okay?" He pushed his knuckle against Eddy's chin again, and this time he smiled in return.

Edd stayed by his side until he fell asleep again. It was hard to leave him, but the doctors insisted he let Eddy rest. Edd couldn't sleep that night, but this time it wasn't due to the worst and most unspeakable fear. This time, it was because he couldn't stop wondering why it was that Eddy wanted to stay with him when he came home.

At the end of the week, the day finally came that Eddy was brough home. Edd flew to his bedroom window every time he heard a car. When it was finally Eddy's, he simply rested his chin in his hands and watched as Eddy's parents gently helped him into a wheelchair and took him around back where there was a ramp. Once he was out of sight, Edd sighed and rested his head in his arms. He wanted to give Eddy some time with his family, but he was also eager to go see him again.

When he couldn't spend another second alone in his room, Edd called Eddy's house and got permission to come over. He was told that Eddy needed to sleep, but that Edd could come visit with him if he was quiet. Edd was a little disappointed, but continued to tell himself Eddy needed his rest.

Edd quietly snuck the sliding door to Eddy's bedroom. The lights were off, but the lava lamp next to his bed was turned on. The floating substance cast gently moving shadows across Eddy's form. He was lying on his back, still healing from the many surgeries and residual injuries, but his head was lulled to the side. Edd crept up to his bedside to see if he was awake, then softly pulled the armchair next to the bedside table so he could sit closeby. The room was much more peaceful and comfortable than the loud, bright hospital. Eddy looked much more human without all the tubes and wires extending from his body. Edd wasn't used to seeing him without the constant beeps filling the air.

"Eddy," he whispered, but there was no reply. Edd leaned forward and rested his head on the round bed, folding his arms beneath it as a cushion. He closed his eyes, suddenly feeling tired. The atmosphere was so calm…

Edd awoke to the sound of a voice. He sat up quickly, for a moment forgetting where he was.

"Double… D?"

He looked down to see that Eddy had awoken. "Hey," he said softly. "Look who decided to wake up! How are you feeling?"

Eddy's eyes lost focus for a moment, then he blinked and looked past Edd's face. "Where am I?"

"You're home, silly. Don't you remember?"

Eddy looked confused. "Mm… home?"

"That's right. No more hospital." He tried to give Eddy a reassuring smile, but Eddy was still trying to figure something out.

"Head… hurts," he mumbled. Edd reached down and petted his hair. "Arm," he managed, barely above a whisper. Edd stroked his arm where the cast had come off, hoping it would help just a little.

Over the past few days, Edd had made scrapbooks to help jog Eddy's memory. He suddenly remembered he'd brought some with him and asked, "You want to look at some pictures from before you got hurt?"

Eddy didn't answer, just looked at him.

Edd retrieved the first scrapbook from his bag. It contained the most recent pictures and items, so maybe it would be fresher in Eddy's memory. "Scoot over," he said, gently pushing his way onto the bed. He helped Eddy sit up and lean against his shoulder as he opened the book on their laps.

"Know who this is?" Edd asked, pointing to a picture of the three Eds. Eddy hummed weakly, closing his eyes as his cheek sank into Edd's neck. Opening his eyes again, he reached up a shaky finger and poked it into Edd's rib.

"That's right," Edd whispered, "It's me, but who else? You recognize him, right?" He pointed to Ed.

"Eddy," Eddy said.

"No, it's Ed. You were close, though." Edd thought for a moment, then pointed to Eddy in the picture. "Know who that is?"

Eddy stared for a long while, then finally shook his head.

"You don't recognize him at all?"

"No," Eddy muttered.

"That's you."

Eddy looked a little surprised. He put his hand on the book, holding it so that he could focus on the picture of himself. He frowned in concentration, but still couldn't seem to recognize his own face. "Are you sure?" he asked.

Edd nodded. "Of course. Here, let me show you." He carefully got off the bed and opened a drawer in Eddy's desk that he knew had a handheld mirror in it. He handed it to Eddy as he crawled back onto the bed, and it didn't take him long to figure out he was looking at himself in the glass.

Edd brought his knees up to his chin while he waited for Eddy to react in some way. A faint part of him hoped that maybe this would be the trigger that brought his friend back, but it didn't. Eddy simply stared at himself, looking skeptical and confused. He reached up a hand, wincing at the effort, and touched a scar on his head. He compared his reflection to the picture over and over, then eventually handed the mirror back to Edd.

"I want to go home," Eddy mumbled.

Edd wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "You are home, remember?"

To his surprise, Eddy sniffed and started to tear up. He sobbed weakly against Edd's shoulder. "Hey, hey," Edd said softly. "Don't do that. What's the matter?"

Eddy simply leaned against him, whimpering and taking in shaky breaths. Edd didn't know what to do to make him stop. He'd seen Eddy cry before, but only at his most vulnerable moments. He never expected him to react this way to his injury. Edd tried to be empathetic, but he couldn't stop focusing on how happy he was that Eddy had woken up, that he was still alive, long enough to understand how lost and confused Eddy felt at the moment. So, he did the next best thing. Lifting up the blanket, he wordlessly crawled under the sheets and helped guide Eddy onto his back again. Once they were lying down, Edd gathered his friend in his arms, shushing him and massaging his arm gently. As Eddy began to quiet, Edd continued to rub his arm, careful not to disturb any injuries, watching his thumb move back and forth across Eddy's pale skin.

He may have been awake, but Edd could tell that something wasn't right. He wasn't all the way back yet. It dawned on him then that Eddy might really be gone forever after all.

Shaking his head of this thought, Edd leaned forward and kissed Eddy's shoulder where his lips were resting against it. "Shhhhhhhh," he whispered, though Eddy had already stopped crying and fell asleep. "It's okay. I'm right here, baby. I'm right here, and I won't leave."


End file.
